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As I have mentioned in other threads, I have a residual coccidiosis infection on the property I now rent.It has been the home of livestock [including rabbits] for over 100 years.

Before I even had any problem with my rabbits- I knew there was a Cocci problem-- because,- the man who owns this property , [and was born and raised on it]- told me-- "if you are going to "hatch biddies" be sure to plant onions and feed some chopped onion tops to them every Saturday or they will all die". That was all I needed to know to be aware that the problem was coccidiosis.

Allium family plants, especially garlic chives, garlic tops and green onion tops work great as a treatment and a preventive for those who have an identified , or suspected infection.

There is a great volume of documented evidence that show garlic does not harm rabbits when it is eaten – The studies that claim garlic damages rabbits were all based on injecting garlic concentrates into their blood, bodies, or body cavities.

The studies where garlic is given orally, show no negative effect on blood chemistry, also show elimination of hepatic , and intestinal coccidiosis, healing of liver damage caused by coccidiosis, and general improvements in health.

Summary of some one these studies…

J EgyEfficacy of garlic extract on hepatic coccidiosis in infected rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus): histological and biochemical studiesToulah FH1, Al-Rawi MM.Author informationAbstractThe rabbits were divided into three groups, of 12 rabbits each. G1 was the (non-infected non-treated) as control, G2 was the (infected-non treated), and G3 was the (infected and treated) rabbits. Each rabbit in the infected groups were given (10(3)) sporuleted oocysts of Eimeria stiedae per rabbit after forty five days exactly. Faecal sample of rabbits from each group were examined each day post infection till oocysts appeared in faeces. The treatment was given by using suitable dosage of garlic according to body weight. After 15, 21, 28, & 35 days post-treatment faecal oocysts were output. Biochemical parameters as serum liver function (ALT, AST, GGT & ALP) that denoted the he-patic cells injury. The results showed a significant differences in the mean values of oocysts shedding and their mean number in bile ducts between Gs 2 &3 from the 15th day post infection (PI) (mean +/-SD:40.33 +/- 16.72 & 25.17 +/- .56 respectively) till the experimental end on the 35th day (55.75 +/- 19.79 & 0.94 +/- 1.43 respectively). The histopathological alterations were in liver of G2 at the experimental end. Coccidiosis in G2 induced histopathological alterations in liver tissue, marked cytoplasmic vacuolations in hepatocytes with clear signs of karyolysis, and dilatation of sinusoids with increase in Kupffer cells. Leukocytic infiltration around congested blood vessels was noticed. Efficacy of garlic on E. stiedae in infected Gs was resident. The liver of G3 regained almost normal appearance compared to control.

I have been feeding Garlic chives as a coccidiosis preventative consistently for about 3 years, and off and on for a very long time, with no negative observations.

My program is- to feed a small handful to the doe about a week before kindling, and once a week beginning just as the kits begin to come out of the nest box [and keep the cage clean] a small handful is about 10 inches long and about quarter size in diameter. Since I have implemented this program- I only see problems when I forget to feed the chives. If any symptoms are seen in kits I feed as much as they will clean up in about 30 to 45 minutes, for a few days. I have found—if sick young rabbits will eat the garlic chives they will get better quickly, if they will not eat the garlic chives they will die.

Very interesting! I have seen you mention it several times, and this past spring, when the wild onions were going crazy, I fed some to my rabbits since there wasn't yet anything else green - they seemed to really enjoy them and showed no ill effect from them. I am leery of studies, to a fault, because so many of them are poorly done, or have skewed the numbers to show what they do and do not want the public to know. Food dye sensitivities are a real thing for many people (especially children) but studies show no harm done. Then you find that the studies are using very very small amounts and the subjects aren't even ingesting it! They study the effects by absorption . Totally the same results as what happens when a child eats a bag of Skittles

Formerly known as "heritage"

Homeschool mom of 4 little ones - 9, 8, 6, & 4!

Our Four Ring Farmstead journey will be on hold for a few years as we take on a new adventure in WV! Maybe a new focus on gardening in a cooler climate...

I bought two new kits and the one all of a sudden bloated up and became lethargic. The other had a rough coat, and was very slow growing. I fed both of them a small amount of green onions, every day for a few days, and they both seemed to improve! They have had no ill effects. I also cleaned their cages with ammonia, and I'll still occasionally give them green onions.

A couple follow-up questions for M4g.1) Is there any reason that "regular" chives (not garlic chives) wouldn't work in the same way? I have lots more of those and we use them for the goats who are out on pasture, as well as feeding them scapes from our garlic crop during the growing season. 2)Can coccidia be picked up from forage that's cut and brought to rabbits in wire cages or is it only picked up when the rabbit has direct contact with the ground? I ask because our rabbits are never on the ground but we do feed lots of forage cut from gardens and fields and we've never seen any spots on livers at butchering and never had a rabbit die except for kits in the first week who just didn't seem to get any milk. We haven't fed the alliums to the rabbits as we do to the goats and chickens, both feeding directly on the ground. I'm wondering if we should feed some as a preventive measure.Thanks for sharing your knowledge from years of experience with those of us just getting started.

Rainey wrote:A couple follow-up questions for M4g.1) Is there any reason that "regular" chives (not garlic chives) wouldn't work in the same way? I have lots more of those and we use them for the goats who are out on pasture, as well as feeding them scapes from our garlic crop during the growing season. 2)Can coccidia be picked up from forage that's cut and brought to rabbits in wire cages or is it only picked up when the rabbit has direct contact with the ground? I ask because our rabbits are never on the ground but we do feed lots of forage cut from gardens and fields and we've never seen any spots on livers at butchering and never had a rabbit die except for kits in the first week who just didn't seem to get any milk. We haven't fed the alliums to the rabbits as we do to the goats and chickens, both feeding directly on the ground. I'm wondering if we should feed some as a preventive measure.Thanks for sharing your knowledge from years of experience with those of us just getting started.

Hi Rainey, chives work just fine- sometimes a little more is needed, - but- it is not an exact science anyway..

Cocci can be picked up any time there is any dirt at all in contact with the rabbits. [ie: on the roots of weeds being fed, etc,] just depends if your soil has an resident colony of cocci or not...

-- Fri Sep 30, 2016 6:04 pm --

In a EC treatment experiment, - I fed garlic chives to a doe every day for about a month-- there have been no more EC symptoms in her kits, and-- she is still healthy and productive, Point is-- it is really very safe-- feeding a little more than i mentioned is very unlikely to hurt a rabbit.

I also ended up with an intestinal infestation of coccidia from a rabbit I was boarding ... it only took one break in quarantine to kill off 14 of 21 kits at two weeks post-weaning; very hard to wonder how many were going to be dead this time.

As I was treating (with corrid), I had one cage that was getting fresh forage rather than pellets, and they showed no signs of coccidioses at any time. I know there were no alliums in the forage, there were other local weeds with medicinal properties along with the grass hay I feed.

Of course, when they had to go on pellets, they thought they were being punished

* The usual disclaimer about feeding local forage: if you don't know, don't do it!